Second Betrayal
by Steff7
Summary: Sequel to Royal Betrayal, read that one first! Those left with the mystery of who is the traitor are hot on the trail.
1. Ponderings

Elrond had rushed to Mirkwood the instant he had heard of his sons' injuries. He feared that perhaps it was already too late. He hadn't received any detail as to the nature of the injuries, just that he was needed immediately. The sense of urgency hadn't left when he had entered Mirkwood, and it only grew when he arrived in Eryn Lasgalen. Thranduil somberly made his way across the courtyard to meet the Elven lord.  
"Elrond." He said quietly.  
"Thranduil." Elrond replied. There was a certain dislike between the two rulers. Thranduil was much too commanding for Elrond. Thranduil in return had disagreed with joining the Alliance against Sauron. Mirkwood had sustained great losses and the grudge had never been fully dropped. "How are they?"  
"Their conditions have not improved since we sent the messenger to you." Thranduil said. "Elrohir received a severe concussion. It broke his skull." Thranduil was speaking very quietly and had not once said anything remotely scathing to Elrond. This was not like him at all.  
"What else has happened?" Elrond questioned.  
"Strider was also very badly injured. He has not woken either." Elrond closed his eyes.  
"Who did this?"  
"We believe it was a guard and a friend of Legolas', Harim."  
  
Elladan stalked the room his room. His father had arrived but refused to allow his eldest son to question Harim with him. This annoyed Elladan to no end. His father had said he needed to rest, but he couldn't possibly sleep while his friend and brothers were in such a condition. A servant knocked tentatively on his door.  
"Yes?" He snapped impatiently. He immediately regretted his tone. "I'm sorry," he started.  
"No, don't worry; you have reason to be irritable, what with everything going on and all. I just have to say I am surprised that you didn't go with Lord Elrond." She said, still tentatively. "I'm Meriath. If you need anything, just call." She said, and with that left the tea she had brought and exited the room. Elladan sipped the tea thoughtfully and before long was sound asleep.  
  
"I'm assuming he drank it, Meriath?" Elrynd asked.  
"Yes, he's asleep." The young elven maiden replied.  
"Good. Lord Elrond himself asked that I send something to put him under. He really has been too stressed lately. Unfortunately, his father seems to be the only one able to get around his determination." He finished with a sigh. "Thank you Meriath. You can continue with your duties." As Meriath moved off, Elrynd sighed and shook his head. These happenings were beyond his ability to reckon. He shook his head again, but this time to shake himself out of his current state of thoughts. Dinner was quickly approaching.  
  
Harim groaned softly. There had been extensive questioning when he had woken up. The only problem was that he could not remember a thing. Not even his name. He looked around the room he was in. It was small, bare. Probably a cell in the dungeons, he thought. He sat up and his eyes widened slightly. Dungeons? Where had that come from? Maybe he shouldn't try so hard to remember. The door was swung open. He let his head thud against the wall. Not again. No more questions. They had always come demanding answers he didn't have to questions he did not understand. This time all of the same elves were there, but there was a new one among them. This elf had dark hair; he seemed sad, much like the other elf that had been questioning him. He did not know what had happened, just that a group of people had been hurt. The questioning started immediately.  
"Why did you do this to them?" The blond elf asked.  
"Do what?" He asked, confused. The first elf turned to the dark- haired elf.  
"This is what we have been getting every time. He claims to have no idea what we are talking about, but the evidence still points to him." He said, exasperation coloring his tone. Now he had something else to add to his list of things he knew. They thought he was guilty.  
  
Ardain snarled. They weren't supposed to find them, not that early. That had ruined his plan. He had been counting on the fact Thranduil would keep searching for Harim, but somehow... Somehow that idiot prince had cried out. If he ever got his hands on Legolas... But that wasn't likely. There were so many guards on the prince there was no chance of harming him. He continued pacing, much like a caged cat. A very angry caged cat. The first chance he got, he would pounce. He would take Harim first. He was the biggest threat, if that fool of a guard remembered anything; it would be over for him. Access would be fairly easy; he could claim to just be checking on the traitor and... and what? He couldn't simply stab him. It would be fairly obvious; somehow the traitor was miraculously killed when nobody but Ardain had gone in? No. It was much more complicated. He would have to do something to distract them. He grinned evilly as the plan began to take shape in his mind.  
"Oh yes, this will be nice!" He cackled to himself.  
  
Elrond smiled in spite of himself. Elladan slept deeply in a chair across the room. He crossed the room and picked up a blanket. He frowned slightly after a closer inspection of his eldest. He could see what he had missed in his haste when he had first arrived. Elladan had obviously had little or no sleep for some time now. Elrond shook his head sadly. While Elrohir was unconscious, Elladan was driving himself to malnutrition. He was jolted out of these thoughts as Elladan began stirring and murmuring. He gently stroked his son's hair, and suddenly Elladan's eyes focused on his father.  
"Ada?" He could hear the exhaustion in the younger elf's voice.  
"Yes?"  
"Why do you insist on not letting me stay awake?"  
"I have a problem with you insisting on not sleeping." He answered, tilting his head slightly. A sleepy smile crossed Elladan's face. It quickly faded as his worries returned. Elrond noticed the change immediately.  
"Rest my son, you are exhausted."  
"Ada," He said as he struggled to fight off the sedatives in his system, "I can't sit by when Estel and everyone..." He faded out.  
"You can do them no good if you can't concentrate, which I am willing to put a bet on it that you can't." Elrond picked up on his son's hesitation. "You need rest, trust me, I won't keep you out any longer than I have to." He assured his son.  
"Arwen... Is she alright?" He said, suddenly realizing that the news had indeed reached Rivendell.  
"She's fine. She had a few things to finish up, and then she will be coming here as well. I expect her by the end of the week." Elladan sighed and fell back against the chair. He tried to rub a crick out of his neck that had developed as a direct result of sleeping in the chair. "Come on." His father said and helped him up.  
"What?" He asked. The fog hadn't quite cleared from his mind yet.  
"That particular sedative won't be out of your system for some time. I figure we might as well get you somewhere more comfortable while you are awake." He said smiling slightly. Elladan stumbled to the bed and collapsed onto it. He felt the drugs in his system begin to steal consciousness from him again. "Sleep." He said soothingly.  
"Ada?" He murmured as he drifted off.  
"Yes, Elladan?" He asked.  
"I'm glad you're here..." His voice faded out. The emotional stress that the young elf had gone through was finally taking its toll. It was a huge relief to have his father there.  
"Yes, I'm glad I can help here." He answered quietly, but Elladan was already asleep.  
  
Thranduil buried his face in his hands. Legolas was still lying prone on the bed. He took a deep shuddering breath, trying desperately to gather what shreds of integrity he had left. A traitor had nearly, and quite possibly could still; kill his son underneath his very nose. A short sob forced its way out of his throat. He started as he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Lord Elrond looking compassionately down at him. He sighed and turned back to his son's unconscious form. With the blankets covering the most grievous of his wounds, Legolas looked to be in a deep peaceful sleep, except for the undeniable fact that his eyes were closed.  
"He will awaken." Elrond said quietly.  
"And how is it you can guarantee that?" He said snappishly. His thoughts remained irrevocably with his son.  
"He has lived for this long, and Legolas' is not an easy will to defeat, I believe that if Illuvatar had meant for him to depart, he would have already done so." Elrond answered, knowing only too well what Thranduil was going through. Thranduil sighed and nodded, seeing the sense behind those words, and feeling the smallest thread of hope inside him. He couldn't give up now, not when Legolas needed him most.  
"I must apologize, Elrond." He started.  
"For what?" Elrond asked, puzzled.  
"For bringing this tragedy into your life. We should have had this traitor weeks ago. For some reason, he seems to be one step ahead of us." Thranduil said.  
"You do not believe that Harim did this then?" Elrond said, picking up on the meaning of those words.  
"Elladan does not believe so either... Speaking of which, where is he?" Thranduil realized that he had not seen the younger elf in some hours. Elrond chuckled, a rueful sound, but a chuckle all the same.  
"Elrynd helped me by serving him some tea..." Elrond faded out. A slight smile crossed Thranduil's face. Of course Elrond would immediately see his son's exhaustion and remedy it.  
"Do you have any leads as to who else it could be?" Elrond asked.  
"No, but perhaps Elladan has thought of something..." Elrond faded out, seeing for the first time something so simple, so completely obvious, he nearly smacked himself.  
"What is it?" Elrond said, seeing that Thranduil was onto something.  
"They knew," He started, "they knew that Harim hadn't done it. Elrohir was almost positive that it wasn't him. Aragorn had just told Harim that he thought he had a new lead. Harim was just a pawn, he was meant to take the fall." His words came quicker as the ideas formed.  
"Are you sure?" Elrond asked skeptically, but a glimmer of hope shown in his eyes.  
"Yes." Thranduil answered, in such a definite way, that there was no questioning it. He began to call for Ardain, but stopped. He thought for a moment. He didn't want to involve anybody else. If whoever was doing this realized they were onto him. Or her. He added silently. "Perhaps we should try to keep this quiet. Elladan should be the only other who knows." Thranduil said to Elrond. Elrond agreed.  
"It seems sharing ideas is what got us into this mess." Elrond said thoughtfully. "I should go check on Elladan." Elrond said. He hesitated before leaving. "Thranduil," He paused, getting the Elven king's attention. "Don't forget about what I said. He will recover. Trust in Illuvatar. He will keep your son safe." With that he left. Thranduil sighed. Yes, he must, he knew. If not, how could he go on? 


	2. Revelations

A/N: Ok, I'm really sorry to everybody who read Royal Betrayal. It's been too long for this. But unfortunately my life has been VERY hectic as of lately. And for anybody out there who hasn't read it, Royal Betrayal HAS to be read before you can read this story, sorry I forgot to put this on the first chappie of this story. That story is listed under my bio. And also, last but certainly not least, I'd like to thank Sparx for helping me along. You're the reason I finally got on this story in the first place, so THANK YOU!! Now, on with the story.  
  
"Ardain?" Thranduil's voice floated down the hall. The head guard stopped short and spun around quickly.  
"Yes, m'lord?" Ardain asked, barely hiding his annoyance. He had been on his way to Elladan's room. With the elf incapacitated as he was, he made an easy target. While Ardain didn't plan to kill him, yet anyway, he needed a distraction, they were getting far too close.  
"Has anything turned up?" The king inquired. They had been searching the surrounding forest since the prince and his companions were found. Ardain had foreseen this procedure and had carefully covered their tracks, but he knew that if they came under too much scrutiny, they would make some discoveries they shouldn't.  
"No, m'lord, sorry, nothing yet." Ardain answered apologetically.  
"Thank you." As Thranduil wrapped up the conversation, a still spacey looking Elladan exited out of his room. Ardain stifled his anger. This really was getting to be too much work. "I see that your father has finally allowed you to join the living." Thranduil remarked somewhat sarcastically. Elladan laughed groggily.  
"Well, I guess I managed the rising part of the saying." He said, rubbing his eyes slightly.  
"And what saying would that be?" Ardain asked, unknowingly setting warning bells off in Elladan's head.  
"'Rise and shine.'" Elladan answered cautiously.  
"Well, I should go check on the progress our troops are making." And with that was quickly off. Elladan watched him leave with narrowed eyes. Thranduil noticed the subtle changes in the dark-haired elf.  
"Is something wrong?" He asked.  
"I'd like to go check that clearing again."  
  
Elladan searched on hands and knees around the small clearing. He sat back on his haunches with an annoyed sigh. He pursed his lips. There had to be something he missed. It hadn't taken them too much time in leaving the palace to arriving here after they heard Legolas cry out. Ardain couldn't have covered his tracks that well, not that quickly. He leaned back. Ardain, so did he think it WAS indeed Ardain now? Yes, he decided. It was, now he just needed proof. Elrohir had said that Ardain was not to be trusted, and then he disappeared. Aragorn had said there was something he had thought of to check, and Harim was the scapegoat he decided. And Legolas... That's where his plan's fault was. Why Legolas, what did Ardain, a guardian of the Royal Family, possibly have against the prince? He scratched his head. He sighed and stood up. He was suddenly aware of the presence of someone else in the clearing with him. He spun around and was surprised to be facing Ardain.  
"Hello Elladan." The tone in Ardain's voice set Elladan on edge.  
"Can I help you?" He asked coldly.  
"Now why the tone, Elladan?" the head guard asked, mocking hurt.  
"Because I know what you're doing. I may not have any proof, but I'll find it soon enough!" Elladan spat, his ire rising.  
"Yes, that's what I came to speak to you about." Ardain's offhand manner threw Elladan off a step. "You see, Thranduil caused my wife and me no small amount of pain when he and his father agreed to join that damned alliance. My sons were killed and my wife never recovered. So you see, this has been long in plotting, my plan. And I'm not letting some busybody Noldor ruin it." His calm demeanor had vanished and rage had taken over. He unsheathed his sword and stepped menacingly toward the younger elf. Elladan unsheathed his own weapon. He set his jaw.  
"Everybody lost loved ones in that battle. Thranduil's sons and father were killed as well. He knows the same pain!" Elladan snapped.  
"No, he doesn't! He still had Legolas! His wife left much later than mine and he still has family! I have no one!" Ardain was barely an arm's length from Elladan now and he was very nearly screaming the words out now. He suddenly lunged forward. It was exactly what Elladan had been waiting for and he quickly sidestepped the enraged elf and bolted. Ardain gave chase, and that was what the younger elf had hoped for. He needed to keep Ardain angry so as to not notice that they were heading back to the palace. If he could trick him into coming close enough, then he'd have his brothers' and friend's would-be murderer. Ardain was suddenly on top of him and both elves went tumbling down. Elladan hit his head hard on a tree root and lay still, stunned for a moment. But that was all Ardain had needed. He jabbed his sword deep into Elladan's shoulder. Elladan cried out and shoved Ardain off of himself. He took advantage of the older elf's enraged distractedness and kicking him in the side and ran. He threw his plan of leading the treacherous elf back to the palace and settled for making it back by himself alive. He ran as fast as his reeling body would let him, which wasn't turning out to be quite fast enough. He heard his attacker's heavy breathing and loud step gaining on him. He was almost within sight of the gates now. He was almost there when suddenly a hand grabbed him from behind. He gasped and stumbled, slamming hard into the ground as he flipped over to see who was standing over him. 


End file.
